Leather-stretching machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM COUPE, OF SOUTH ATTLEBORQUGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

LEATHER-STRETCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,095, dated April 12,1881.

Application filed March 5, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM COUPE, of South Atzleborough, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Leather- Stretching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is designed as an improvement upon the machine for which Letters PatentNo. 178,361 were granted to me June 6, 1876.

The invention consists of improved devices for adjusting and holding the leather in the machine, so that the work may be performed more quickly and the leather be stretched more evenly, all of which will be hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 is a sectional end elevation of a portion of the machine, showing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, with part broken away to exhibit other parts, of a portion of the improved shaft upon. which the leather is secured and wound. Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation of the same on line 00 a, Fig. 2. Fig. 4is an enlarged plan of a portion ofthe bed, showing the groove therein and the spring-actuated sliding plate.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents an end ofthe machine-frame, and B a round bar connecting the two ends.

0 is the bed, the ends of which are firmly and rigidly secured to the frame ends A, and in the upper side of said bed 0 is formed a longitudinal groove, a, into which the leather is pressed by the knife D while being drawn through the machine. The width of this groove a is regulated so that the leather (represented at E) may be subjected to a more or less sharp bend, as may be desired, and thereby greater or less pressure from the knife D, by plates F F, that are secured by screws 1) in a depression, 0, in the face of the bed C, over the edges of the said groove a, the plate F being fixed and the plate F having slotted screw-holes d, and being pressed laterally toward the opposite plate, F,-by springs f, that are fitted be- I tween its rear edge and a shoulder in said bed O, and have their tension regulated by adjust ing-screws f, so that said plate F may accommodate itself to the thickness of the hide or leather that is being operated upon. The knife (No model.)

D maybe made with a straight or slightlycrowning edge, and is fixed in the lower face of the beam G, the ends of which are journaled in the bearings II, that slide up and down in slots gin the end frames, A, and are held up,

use, and may he slipped to one side out of the way when not in use. The shaft or roll Kis designed to be journaled in the frame ends A parallel with the bed 0, and to be revolved by means of a gear-wheel, K, or other convenient device. Through this roll K, and extending nearly its entire length, is a slot, m, through which the end of the leather to be stretchedis passed to be secured, so that by turning said shaft K the leather may be drawn through the machine, stretched, and wound upon said roll K. At right angles to this slot m, and of the same length therewith, a slot, at, is formed in said shaft K, extending from the periphery thereof to center, and in this slot n is placed a slide, L, that is held in place by straps 0, which are fastened at the ends of said roll K and extend over the ends of said slot at, the ends of said slide L being cut away, as shown at p, to permit it to move freely in and out in said slot n within certain limits. In said slide L are formed one or more slots, q, extending through from side to side thereof, and in these slots q are set spiral springs M, that serve to hold said slide L out of the slot m. The slot 0?. is enlarged or channeled, as shown at n, on either side of the springs M, to afford room for the free movement of said springs M, and to form shoulders it, against which the bottoms of said springs M bear.

The leather to be stretched is secured in the machine by passing one end of it between the knife D and plates F F, and then through the slot at in the shaft K, and permitting the extremity thereof to lie against the teeth 8, that are formed in said roll K just below the slot m on one side of said roll K. Then, on turning the said roll K in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, the leather presses on the top of the slide L and forces it down, so that its toothed lower edge, 1', shall be forced upon the leather in the slot m, thereby holding the latter securely. At the same time the lever and cams I l are operated to force theknife D down with the desired pressure upon the leather over the groove 6!. It will be seen that with this construction 7 of the shaft K the leather to be stretch ed can be secured in place for stretching, much more quickly than by the old method of securing it with a key-bar, for in this case leather of any thickness can be readily secured Without change of parts, \vhile by the old method key-bars of different sizes were required for leather of difi'erent thicknesses. By this method, too, the leather is held more se curely, so that a greater strain may be put upon it in stretching than can safely be done when it is fastened in the old way. As the roll Krevolves, the leather Wraps around it and prevents any possibility of slipping by pressing its extremity into the teeth 8, and by forcing the slide L down more firmly.

0 represents a gear-Wheel upon a shaft, P, by means of which the machine maybe thrown in or out ofgear.

This improved device is of especial value in stretchingleatherof dit'terentthicknesses, sav- 1 ing much time and labor in the adjustment or securing of the leather in the machine, and will apply to all leather working machines in which the leather is to be held for treatment.

A balance may be placed on the gear-wheel K, to bring the roll K, with its slot 122, vertical, for the convenient entrance of another piece of leather after one shall have been removed.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a leather-stretching machine, the roll K, having slots at n, and provided with springactuated slide L, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the leather to be stretched is secured in the machine, as set forth.

2. In a leather-stretching machine, the combination, with the bed 0, provided with groove a, of the plates F F, the latter being adjustable, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the width of the said groove is regulated, as set forth.

WILLIAM COUPE. Witnesses:

WILLIAM P. SHAW, CHARLES W. SHAW. 

